Before the 2015 outdoor season neither Mallard Creek’s Keon Howe nor Sun Valley’s P.J. Lotharp had won an individual outdoor state championship.

But both Howe and Lotharp turned most valuable player (MVP) performances in their respective state meet’s to claim the Observer top track honors.

Howe, the 4A state championship MVP, became the first athlete to win the 4A state titles in both the high jump and pole vault in 59 years.

Howe, the Charlotte Observer boys’ track field athlete of the year, went 6-10 to win the 4A crown in the high jump and tied all-class, state-record, vaulting 16-0 to also claim the 4A title in that event.

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Lotharp, the 3A state meet MVP, accounted for state titles in four different events, winning the 100 and 200-meter dashes, while anchoring the 4 X 100 and 4 X 200-meter relays to state championships as well.

Lotharp, the Charlotte Observer boys’ track runner of the year, set a 10-year old all-classification state record in the 100-meter dash, running a 10.35.

Mallard Creek coach, Donald Littlejohn and Marvin Ridge coach, Cameron Starr share Observer boys’ track coach of the year honors, after leading their respective teams to 4A and 3A state, team championships.

200-meter dash: P.J. Lotharp, Sun Valley, Jr.: Won a second-state individual state title by .01 seconds.

400-meter dash: Ty Jaye Robbins-Lockhart, Piedmont, Sr.: Earned 3A state championship with state’s best outdoor time this season (46.72), also the No. 9 time in the nation this spring.

800-meter dash: Elijah Inuwa, Central Academy, Sr.: Ran state’s best time outdoors this season (1:51.70) to claim 2A state championship.

1600-meter dash: Alex Cornwell, Hickory Ridge, Jr. and Nick Linder, Providence Day, Sr.: Cornwell was 3A state runner-up (4:20.10), while Linder, a Harvard signee, ran 4:20.31 to claim the NCISAA 3A state title after missing much of season because of a stress fracture.

Shot Put: Marcus Abraham, Victory Christian, Sr.: Also had state’s No. 2 throw of the outdoor season here (60-8.5) at Victory Christian home meet (April 24), while breaking 35-year old Mecklenburg County record, winning NCISAA state title in the process.